Growing With Proficiency The Podcast

Episode 113: Crafting Comprehensible Texts for Language Learners with Nelly Andrade-Hughes

September 12, 2024 Claudia Elliott, World Language educator

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In this episode, Claudia sits down with Nelly Andrade-Hughes, an outstanding Spanish teacher  and author of many comprehensible readers and educational materials for Spanish classes, to dive into the art of creating comprehensible texts for language learners. If you're looking to improve your students' engagement and comprehension, this episode is for you!

Key Takeaways:

  • Why comprehensibility matters: Learn why students must be able to understand 98% of the text for true language acquisition.
  • Strategies for writing effective texts: Nelly shares how to use high-frequency verbs, proper nouns, and cognates to build compelling stories.
  • The importance of repetition: Discover how to ‘park’ key information to ensure students acquire vocabulary without overwhelming them.
  • Adapting content for different levels: From novice to intermediate, find out how to adjust sentence structure, vocabulary, and context to match your students’ abilities.
  • Balancing simplicity and engagement: Tips for keeping your text both comprehensible and compelling for middle and high school students.

    Books by Nelly Andrade-Hughes:
  • Click here to access some of Nelly’s books


More resources:
Back to School Bundle for Spanish Classes
GWP Spanish Teacher Academy Waiting List
Growing With CI FB Community
Blog
Teacher Pay Teachers Store

I’m excited to share that the 2024 Klett World Languages Back 2 School Conference is now open, and the best part? It’s asynchronous, so you can dive in at your own pace! I’ll be there as one of the keynote speakers alongside the amazing Joe Dale, and we’re joined by an incredible lineup of experts.
Use code  CLAUDIA  for 30% off. Click here to get your ticket.

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